It's not always rainbows and butterflies
by TaleWeaver
Summary: Bits and pieces of Kyouya and Haruhi’s life together, and why they work not in chronological order . Complete for now, will change status if I ever get around to writing more.


TITLE: It's not always rainbows and butterflies

TITLE: It's not always rainbows and butterflies

AUTHOR: TaleWeaver

DISCLAIMER: Not my characters. Title taken from Maroon 5's song 'She will be loved'.

FANDOM / PAIRING: Ouran High School Host Club. Kyouya/Haruhi

RATING / CONTENT: PG

SPOILERS: None I can think of.

SUMMARY: Bits and pieces of Kyouya and Haruhi's life together, and why they work (not in chronological order)

AUTHOUR'S NOTES: shinebunny asked for ficlet requests over on the Kyouya/Haruhi LJ, and I asked for "...something after they've married? Nothing excessively 'I can't live without you' fluffy, or 'I'm married to a statue' angst. Something along the lines of 'I chose to marry you with my eyes wide open, and I'm happy that I did. I don't need you, but that doesn't stop me from wanting you around.'" And I liked the idea so much I found these bits 'n' pieces running in my head.

1. Marital obligations

Haruhi lays flat on her back in the bed, gasping for breath.

"I must admit," her fiancé tells her hoarsely, "When we agreed to consummate our partnership before the wedding, I wasn't expecting anything like this."

Kyouya is cool and calculating, Haruhi is practical and dispassionate. These aren't the sorts of people who have mind-blowing, bone-melting sex.

But they just have.

On the other hand, Kyouya is highly observant and thoroughly meticulous, and considers not being the best at a desired goal to be a personal disgrace. Haruhi has the kind of single-minded focus of a mad scientist's laser beam, the appetites of a natural sensualist (even if they normally only surface for food) and always, always, repays her debts.

Maybe they are the sorts of people, after all.

"At least once a day, every day, unless one of us is out of town?" Haruhi proposes.

"I'll put it in our personal set of pre-nuptial agreements."

2. Wedding belles

The wedding of one of the Ootori sons is a tremendous business opportunity.

Kyouya (and his father) instruct the wedding planner to make a spectacle – while remaining in the best possible taste. The bigger and more impressive, the better.

Haruhi would prefer a small, simple ceremony, attended only by people who genuinely wish them well.

The Ootori-Fujiyoka wedding is THE event of not only the social season, but also the entire year. It's later estimated that the total expenses, ceremony and reception both cost the equivalent of 3 million dollars US. Business deals worth roughly 50 million dollars US were either proposed or closed during the event. The groom wore especially tailored Armani, as did the groomsmen and the bride's father. The bride wore a wedding kimono that had been passed down in the Ootori family for five generations.

But a month earlier, Haruhi and Kyouya had a tiny civil ceremony in the garden of the Ootori's 'beach house', with only Ranka, Fuyumi, the Host Club, Renge and Ritsu in attendance (Nekozawa preferred to skulk in the bushes). The groom wore especially tailored Armani, but Haruhi's wedding dress and Ranka's father of the bride gown were personally designed by the twins.

3. Manifest destiny

"Are you really all that anxious to be made heir, Kyouya-senpai?" Haruhi asked.

It was late afternoon, and Tamaki had suddenly been seized with the urge to see how commoners cleaned their cars. The twins had seen the opportunity for a water fight, and Honey was watching Mori's kendo practice. Haruhi had stayed late for a study session, and come to the Third Music Room out of habit, to find Kyouya trying to balance the books - trying, because Tamaki was notorious for forgetting that Kyouya was the one who was supposed to order things, and even more notorious for forgetting to get receipts. (Haruhi saw a trip to Ancient Egypt in the Host Club's future, complete with all the boys in thin linen kilts and nothing else, to make up the lost revenue. She idly wondered if Kyouya would need to resort to Tarzan before Tamaki graduated.)

"I am not anxious, Haruhi, but I am very determined," Kyouya told her. "I believe I am the best person to be heir, and I will admit, I do not like to lose – at anything. This is a contest whether I like it or not, and I cannot give any less than my full efforts."

Haruhi tilted her head and looked thoughtful. Kyouya imperceptibly braced himself – this was the look she tended to wear when she made her most devastatingly sincere and accurate pronouncements.

"I'm sure you'll win, Kyouya-senpai, but I really don't think it will make you very happy."

Kyouya couldn't help but frown. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Haruhi looked even more thoughtful. "When you win, you'll just be stepping into someone else's footsteps. You won't really be accomplishing anything, just being a caretaker of the family fortune between your father and your own heir. I think maybe you'd be happier forging your own empire from scratch – the harder it is, the happier you'd be. You'd get a lot more satisfaction in knowing that you've made your own fortune – the satisfaction from knowing you did it with your own talents and skills, and that if the worst happened, you could do it all over again just as successfully."

That was the moment that Kyouya decided to marry Haruhi. A wise man once said to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Someone who could see that deeply inside him should be kept closest of all.

4. Places in life

"We have an opening for a lawyer in the malpractice department," Kyouya's father told him casually over lunch. "When can Haruhi report for the position?"

"She won't be," Kyouya replied in his most uncompromising tone. It was the tone that had frightened the most hard-bitten members of the Ootori's private police force, and once stopped a would-be kidnapper in their tracks.

"Haruhi finds her current work very fulfilling. I see no reason for her to leave that work simply to work for our family, when there is no real need for her particular talents or niche for her to fill. If such an opening does arise in the future, I will ask her to consider the option."

Yoshio looked at his son thoughtfully. He would never admit to being cautious of his youngest son, even to himself, but this seemed like a situation where the benefits would pale beside the potential problems.

5. Riding on the comet's tail

Tamaki swept Haruhi off her feet and around in a circle in his exuberance – this was the fifth song in a row that they'd danced to, and the former Host King showed no signs of slowing down whatsoever.

A few bars in, Kyouya gracefully cut in. Tamaki pouted, but quickly adapted, sweeping Renge into a modified tango - the fact that the song was a waltz didn't seem to affect him any.

By the time Tamaki and Renge had reached the other side of the dance floor, Haruhi was sitting at one of the tables, Kyouya placing a cool drink in front of her.

"How bad are the blisters from your new heels?" he asked.

Haruhi flashed him a grateful smile. "If I take my shoes off for awhile, I can head them off before they get too bad. Your timing was perfect; thanks for the rescue."

6. How much do you love me?

Haruhi was still thoughtful as they walked into the sitting room of their suite. The performance of 'Witness for the Prosecution' had been exemplary, the skill of the actors blending with the compelling script, showcasing exactly why Agatha Christie had become such a legend.

"Kyouya? If I was accused of murder, what would you do?"

"Hire the best lawyers for you – if they weren't available, I would ensure that they became available. If necessary, I would bribe several jury members."

Several weeks later, Haruhi followed Kyouya into their sitting room once again. This time, the play had been an adaptation of 'Great Expectations', and the extremities of Miss Haversham weighed on her mind.

"Kyouya? If I died tomorrow, would you spend the rest of your life in mourning for me?"

Kyouya gave her his best 'you can't possibly be so oblivious' look (perfected on Tamaki, without noticeable effect).

"Of course not. I would carry on with my life in the best fashion possible."

"But would you miss me?" Haruhi asked curiously.

Kyouya's expression didn't change.

"Every day for the rest of my life. Why do you persist in asking me these questions when the answers are patently obvious?"


End file.
